Deborah Mailman (born 14 July 1972) is an Australian television and film actress. She was the first Aboriginal actress to win the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She is well known for having played the character "Kelly" on successful Australian television series, The Secret Life of Us. She is also well known for her current role as Cherie in the successful Australian drama series Offspring.

Biography

Mailman's partner is advertising executive Matthew Coonan. They have two sons, Henry and Oliver. Deborah has four siblings.

Filmography of Deborah Mailman (12 films)

Actress

, 1h31GenresAnimationThemesChildren's filmsActorsRyan Kwanten, Rufus Sewell, Toni Collette, David Wenham, Deborah Mailman, Richard RoxburghRoles Blinky's motherRating51% The original storyline of the Blinky Bill character was for Blinky to have adventures that will stop the deforestation of the Australian Outback. The newest instalment of Blinky Bill (Ryan Kwanten) takes a less environmental stance and centres on saving his home by bringing his family back together. The battle is for Green Patch and the antagoniser is the evil Cranklepot the Goanna (Barry Otto) who wants to rule their little community.

, 1h36Directed byRobert ConnollyOriginAustralieGenresComedyThemesChildren's filmsActorsSam Worthington, Anthony LaPaglia, Deborah Mailman, Ed Oxenbould, Terry Norris, Peter RowsthornRoles Maureen PrescottRating62% A young boy from Australia named Dylan (Ed Oxenbould) has a passion for flight and ends up competing in the World Paper Plane Championships in Japan. He faces distraction and hostility from a school bully, as well as his father (Sam Worthington), still grieving over the death of his mother in an automobile accident, and his chief rival, the spoiled win-at-all-cost (Terry Norris), a kite-hawk he feeds on his way to school and later a Japanese paper plane champion Kimi (Ena Imai).

, 1h43Directed byWayne BlairOriginAustralieGenresDrama, Biography, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Musical theatre, MusicalThemesSeafaring films, Films about music and musicians, Politique, Théâtre, Transport films, Musical films, Political films, Films based on playsActorsChris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell, Tory KittlesRoles GailRating69% In 1968 Australia, Gail and Cynthia head into town for a talent contest and their young sister, Julie is forbidden to go because she has a child and is too young, until she bribes a fellow neighbour to take her into town. An alcoholic, Irish talent scout, Dave Lovelace, is scolded by his boss for being late despite him sleeping in his car that is near work. After the girls lose the talent contest, even with Julie coming in, Dave gives Gail her guitar back and as Dave is about to leave, Julie hands him a piece of paper, showing that the troops need singers for Vietnam. Soon, Dave goes to make a call and he says they have been accepted a spot to audition in Melbourne. Back at their place, Gail, Cynthia and Julie's mother tells him he can take them but Julie until Julie's father tells him not to worry about her. Advised by their grandmother, they meet up with their cousin Kay, who had been living in Melbourne for 10 years. She rejects the offer of joining them, but later changes her mind and meets up at their uncle's place. After days of training their moves, they are almost ready until Julie gives Cynthia a letter from her fiance that he is going to call it off. Despite that, they manage to audition very well and Kay comes up with the group's name, The Sapphires, after looking at Cynthia's engagement ring.

, 1h25Directed byRachel PerkinsGenresDrama, Comedy, Musical theatre, Musical, RomanceThemesSeafaring films, Transport films, Musical filmsActorsGeoffrey Rush, Magda Szubanski, Tom Budge, Ernie Dingo, Deborah Mailman, Jessica MauboyRoles RoxanneRating62% In Broome in 1969, Willie Johnson (Rocky McKenzie) is having trouble wooing his girl Rosie (Jessica Mauboy), who ends up with a bandleader named Lester (Dan Sultan). His mother Theresa (Ningali Lawford) sends him back to boarding school in Perth to continue his education for the priesthood. One night, he and several others steal food from the college kitchen but are caught. Willie admits to being the thief, but runs away before he can be punished. He spends the night on the streets of Perth before meeting up with 'Uncle' Tadpole (Ernie Dingo), who offers to help him get home. They go to Fremantle where Tadpole allows himself to be run over by a Kombi van, hoping that the two hippies inside will help him. Not realising how far it will be to Broome, the hippies, 'Slippery' the German (Tom Budge) and Annie (Missy Higgins), his girlfriend, agree to drive them.

, 1h45GenresDrama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, ActionThemesSeafaring films, Transport filmsActorsGeoff Morrell, Don Hany, Deborah Mailman, Osamah Sami, Gerard KennedyRoles LisaRating70% An Indonesian fishing boat abandons a group of Iraqi and Cambodian men on a remote part of the Western Australian coast in 1990. Told there is a bus over the dunes, the men are abandoned to a desert the size of Poland. While most are quickly rounded up, three men with little in common but their history of misfortune elude capture and begin an epic but confused journey drawn on by their hopes amplified by the empty desert. Pursued by an army reservist unit more concerned with playing ball sports and music, the three protagonists wander deeper into trouble, searching desperately among the harsh beauty of the Pilbara for evidence of a Western, liberal democracy or the promised bus, which only one of them finds.